Catherine "Cathie" Duddy Wood (born November 26, 1955) is an American investor and the founder, chief executive officer (CEO), and chief investment officer (CIO) of ARK Investment Management LLC (ARK Invest). She is widely recognized for her investment focus on "disruptive innovation"—technologies that she believes will fundamentally alter how the world operates—including artificial intelligence, robotics, genomics, energy storage, and blockchain technology. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Irish immigrants Gerald and Mary Duddy, Wood was raised in an environment that valued education and technical curiosity. Her father served as a radar systems engineer in the United States Air Force, an influence she has often cited as foundational to her appreciation for engineering and systemic thinking. Wood attended Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Los Angeles, graduating in 1974. She went on to attend the University of Southern California (USC), where she graduated summa cum laude in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and economics. During her studies, she was mentored by economist Arthur Laffer, a key proponent of supply-side economics, who played a significant role in helping her launch her financial career. Wood began her professional journey in 1977 as an assistant economist at The Capital Group. In 1980, she relocated to New York City to join Jennison Associates, where she spent 18 years serving in various capacities, including chief economist, analyst, portfolio manager, and managing director. Her career trajectory continued with the co-founding of Tupelo Capital Management, a hedge fund, in 1998. Subsequently, she spent 12 years at AllianceBernstein as the CIO of Global Thematic Strategies, where she managed over $5 billion in assets. In 2014, after proposing that AllianceBernstein launch actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on disruptive innovation—an idea deemed too risky by the firm—Wood left to found ARK Invest. The firm, named after the Ark of the Covenant and as an acronym for "Active Research Knowledge," was registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2014. ARK Invest’s strategy involves deep, research-intensive identification of companies poised to benefit from cross-sector technological shifts. The firm launched its first four ETFs in October 2014: the ARK Innovation ETF, the Genomic Revolution ETF, the Next Generation Internet ETF, and the Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF. Wood’s profile rose significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her flagship fund, the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), experienced rapid growth, returning approximately 150% in 2020. This success led to her being lauded by various financial media outlets, with Bloomberg News naming her the best stock picker of 2020. However, the firm’s performance later faced substantial headwinds as rising interest rates and market corrections impacted high-growth, non-profitable technology companies. Consequently, Wood and ARK Invest have faced criticism; Morningstar, for instance, ranked ARK’s fund family among the highest "wealth destroyers" over the ten-year period ending in 2023. Despite this, Wood remains a steadfast proponent of her thematic, long-term investment philosophy. A devout Christian, Wood often integrates her personal values into her professional life. She moved ARK Invest’s headquarters from New York City to St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2021. She is also a noted advocate for cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin, and has publicly projected long-term price targets for the asset that have garnered significant media attention. Wood has three children and was previously married to Robert Wood, who passed away in 2018. Her legacy in finance remains a subject of intense debate, characterized by both her innovative approach to thematic investing and the high volatility of her portfolio's performance.